Consort Rou, Bai Caiwei, feigns pregnancy and colludes with restorationists from the former dynasty in a bid to seize the Great Zhou throne. Empress Xiao Mingyu and Noble Consort Lu Changlan, once bitter rivals, set aside their longstanding feud and secretly gather evidence of the conspirators' crimes. At the Double Ninth Palace Banquet, the two publicly expose Bai Caiwei's fake pregnancy and treason, calmly putting down the palace rebellion. The emperor, Huo Yuanlang, suffers a stroke and becomes paralyzed after the shock. The two women then enthrone the young Huo Yuanrong. Xiao Mingyu takes charge of court affairs, while Lu Changlan commands the imperial guards and cavalry. Together, the two phoenixes rule side by side, reforming official administration and salt policy, securing the frontier, and paving the way for the young emperor to govern in his own right.